born in Offenburg, Germany40

Moved from Pennsylvania to Prince William Co., Virginia in 1822 to join others
In 1836 left Virginia headed to Iowa14

John House III was the son of Maria Margaretha (Schreiner) House and John House II. He married Catherine Barbara Bless in Apr 1817. That spring, John and his family (wife, father, mother, three sisters and one brother) began an ocean voyage to America. It was a long arduous journey during which they all suffered sickness and hunger. The voyage claimed his father's life. John House, II, who was born December 03, 1765 in Diersheim, Baden, Ortenaukreis, Germany, died in route to America, in the spring of 1817 and was buried at sea.

The remaining family members, exhausted from their trip and disheartened at the loss of John House II, landed in Baltimore in October 1817. They settled in Adams County, Pennsylvania, where John and Catherine's first two children, Charlotte and George, were born.

In 1822, they left Pennsylvania for Prince William County, Virginia, to join others of their family. In 1836, all but Michael House decided to move to Iowa. George Sheets, John House, Michael Rusie, Mother Margaret House and Barbara House started to Iowa by covered wagon. The route they took was never established. When they got to Plainfield, Indiana, they ran out of flour and were directed to Mooresville, arriving there on Christmas Day, 1836. Samuel Moore persuaded them to stay there for the winter and when spring came they decided to stay and not continue further.

John House III was naturalized in 1857, at Martinsville Indiana.

During his years in America, he converted to the Presbyterian Church, but not finding one in the Mooresville community, he joined the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was an exemplary Christian, always attending church.

He was the father of eight children, three of whom preceded him in death.

John House II's memorial was written with the help of Shari Shanafelt and local library resources.